David Beckham got plenty of practice supporting fromthe stands at the London Olympics. Source: AP

THE HIGHEST PROFILE SPECTATOR IN SPORT

Soccer: IT MAY well be the most expensive seat ever purchased in the history of French soccer ... when David Beckham warms some plastic from the stands as his new team Paris Saint-Germain takes on Valencia in their last-16 first-leg Champions League tie.

Becks may have inked a deal reportedly worth about $100,000 a week to play at PSG, but he'll be the highest profile spectator in the house early tomorrow morning, with the club announcing he'll play no part in the match.

"Beckham will come tomorrow to watch the match," coach Carlo Ancelotti said as his side prepared for the game.

Reminds us of the London Olympics, where Beckham made spectating a sport of its own - being snapped at so many events that it makes you wonder whether his alleged "butt double" from a recent advertisement had some Beckham-related work a little earlier than we thought.

Beckham's new contract didn't stop him training privately in London with PSG staff, or ducking over to New York at the end of last week. PSG fans waiting for their first glimpse of the former Man U and LA Galaxy star will likely have to wait until the second leg on Sunday.

Marcel Kittel of Germany and Team Argos-Shimano celebrates winning stage one of the Tour of Oman from Al Musannah to Muscat. Picture: Bryn LennonSource: Getty Images

BRADLEY BACK TO THE BACK

Cycling: IF the Tour de France is the only morsel of cycling action you wrap your chops around each year, you'd be used to seeing Bradley Wiggins at the pointy end of proceedings.

But the Brit discovered what it's like to be an also-ran this morning at the Tour of Oman, where he finished dead last out of 142 riders on the first stage.

Wiggins was caught up in a crash a few kilometres from the finish and never recovered, finishing 1min 30secs behind stage winner Marcel Kittel, while most of the Aussies finished safely with the peloton.

Matt Goss is the best placed Australian in 30th place at 10 seconds off the lead, while Cadel Evans finished 85th in the same time.

Anastasia Rodionova of Australia returns the ball to Jie Zheng of China during their match on the first day of the WTA Qatar Open in Doha. Picture: Karim JaafarSource: AFP

RODIONOVA OUR LONE WINNER

Tennis: IT'S been a dirty couple of days for Australian women's tennis, but the news was better for Anastasia Rodionova, who cruised into the second round of the Qatar Open.

While her-better ranked compatriots were busy copping a pasting in the Fed Cup quarter-finals against the Czech Republic, Rodionova was preparing to take on China's Zheng Jie, who she eased past 6-2 6-3.

Also through to the second round were former world No.1s Caroline Wozniacki and Ana Ivanovic.

While he missed out in last year's NHL draft, Walker said he's still a good chance of making it to the world's top hockey league.

"There are a lot more scouts watching these junior games in America than there are over in the Czech Republic," he said.

OTHER SPORT YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED

Cycling: ITALY'S Olympic Committee said it had launched a probe following newspaper allegations that retired cyclist Mario Cipollini was a client of a sports doctor currently on trial in Spain on doping charges. Cipollini, world champion in 2002, was accused of being a client of Doctor Eufemiano Fuentes, who is currently standing trial in Spain on charges of administering doping products.

Rugby: IRELAND fly-half Jonathan Sexton was rated "doubtful" for the Six Nations rugby clash against Scotland after a defeat by England left them with several injury worries. Sexton went off after half an hour in what an Ireland team statement on Monday labelled a "particularly attritional international match".

Skiing: AMERICAN skier Ted Ligety showed all his technical expertise to add the world super-combined title to the super-G crown he won earlier in the championships. In the absence of Lindsey Vonn, injured in her opening super-G event, Ligety's second gold was a major boost for the US team, which now tops the overall medals table.

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